Resolution of deep divergence of club fungi (phylum Basidiomycota)

A long-standing question about the early evolution of club fungi (phylum Basidiomycota) is the relationship between the three major groups, Pucciniomycotina, Ustilaginomycotina and Agaricomycotina. It is unresolved whether Agaricomycotina are more closely related to Ustilaginomycotina or to Pucciniomycotina. Here we reconstructed the branching order of the three subphyla through two sources of phylogenetic signals, i.e. standard phylogenomic analysis and alignment-free phylogenetic approach. Overall, beyond congruency within the frame of standard phylogenomic analysis, our results consistently and robustly supported the early divergence of Ustilaginomycotina and a closer relationship between Agaricomycotina and Pucciniomycotina.